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This is a must, must, must. If you’re lucky enough to find any excuse to get to NYC this summer, specifically through August 11, make it a point to visit the “Our Global Kitchen” exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History. The air-conditioned walls will be a cool respite from the beating summer heat. Opened in November 2012, this exhibit is described as follows:

“Celebrate cultures and cooking, historic meals and markets, and moments in our lives that we mark with food—as well as the ingredients that we have discovered and shaped over the course of thousands of years. As this exhibition takes visitors on a journey of growing, transporting, cooking, eating, and celebrating food, it also examines contemporary issues of environmental and human health, food security, and feeding the world’s growing population today and tomorrow.”

It’s not just an exhibit for quote on quote, foodies. We all eat food, right? And we all need to know its history and future. It’s a beautiful feast for the eyes, and it almost transports you into space, in the sense that you forget your’re in a museum. (In a good way!) Our Global Kitchen opens with a short 6-ish minute video, which seemed, to me, like an abridged Food Inc. Next, you explore several concepts: Grow, Trade, Cook, Taste, Eat, and Celebrate. Any home cook will enjoy learning about how cooking is an “expression of human creativity”. Learning about the evolution of cookery tools and techniques. It kind of is like all the dietitian-y courses us RDs had to take, as it incorporates food science, food history, culture, and food systems. The capstone of the exhibit is the test kitchen, where you get to determine if you’re a “Super Taster” (I’m not), and sample cultural dishes.

As you tour through the exhibit, you’ll find yourself saying, “Wow, I didn’t know that.” Like, did you know that Cortez regarded coffee with cacao beans the Aztec equivalent of the Red Bull or Five Hour Energy? You are learning throughout the entire exhibit; I wish I had kept a little notebook of everything I learned. Suffice to say, I think that this exhibit is serving a huge purpose and raising awareness about developing a more healthful, respectful approach to our food origin, history, and relationship. For more information, visit Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture.

Dates:Through August 11, 2013Location:
Gallery 3, third floor

Tickets:
Free for Members
General Admission Plus One tickets include admission to the Museum and Rose Center for Earth and Space plus one special exhibition:
Adults: $25
Children (2-12): $14.50
Seniors/Students with ID: $19